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Posted on June 17, 2015 by Emily3 Comments This post may contain affiliate links. Clicking and purchasing through them helps to keep the great content coming your way, thanks! Find all my favorite items in my Amazon SHOP HERE

I don’t have teenagers {yet!} but I love these ideas for connecting with your older child over the summer holiday. It’s too easy to not make the connections as our kids get older. I love this post that Kristen wrote up for today!

Hey y’all! I’m Kirsten from Sweet Tea & Saving Grace. I’m so excited to be visiting all of you at Nap-Time Creations for his Summer Fun Series! I’m a mom to a teenage daughter, and sometimes it can be a challenge to find fun ways to actually spend quality time together when your kids get older. With the help of my fabulous daughter, we’ve put together 5 Awesome Ways to Spend Summer with Your Teen!

Now, I know what you might be thinking…

“My teenager doesn’t want to hang out with me!!”

Here’s the thing – I bet they really do. You just have to find ways to connect with them on their level. If it were up to me, we’d spend Saturday mornings thrifting at yard sales and junking through antique malls. But Marley would be bored to tears!

Straight from the mouth of a teenager, here are 5 ideas to help you and your teen spend quality time together (and have fun, too!):

1. Movie Night

HOW TO SET IT UP:

Pile in the car and head to the store to pick out some yummy snacks that you both enjoy. (Don’t forget the popcorn!)

Choose 3-5 movies you can both enjoy. Either let your teen make the selections, or you pick a few from your teenage years. (Think along the lines of Breakfast Club & Sixteen Candles, or 90’s classics like Clueless & 10 Things I Hate About You.)

Set aside some uninterrupted time to hang out together. Eat junk food, laugh at movies, and hang out, just the two of you.

2. Car Karaoke

HOW TO SET IT UP:

Have your teen create a playlist on Spotify or iTunes

Crank up the tunes & sing along!

Don’t think this can be any fun? Here’s proof…in a very funny super fast version of car karaoke with my awesome girl:

3. Cook Together

HOW TO SET IT UP:

Have your teen pick a recipe they want to try.

Go grocery shopping together to choose the ingredients

Spent an afternoon in the kitchen together making a delicious meal or dessert that you can then devour together.

4. Spa Night

HOW TO SET IT UP:

Head to Target or your favorite beauty store and choose a few beauty products you can use.

5. A Weekend Getaway

Let your teen be a travel agent and choose things to do, places to stay, and allow them to map out your drive.

Pack snacks and your overnight bag & enjoy some time away together.

Tips for Success:

Turn the mom radar down a bit when you have these special hangout sessions with your teen. Be a friend first.

Let your teen do most of the planning. It gives them a sense of responsibility and lets them know you trust them enough to let go of every detail.

It might take a little coaxing for your teen to be fully convinced, much less excited, to spend uninterrupted time with you, but don’t give up. Leave the conversation open, give them a few ideas, then let them come to you when they’re ready.

Record videos! When you do car karaoke or cook together, hit the record button on your phone and make it into a funny video series! Better yet, let them start a YouTube channel where you are a guest star!

I love spending time with Marley any chance I get. We just got back from a weekend trip to Gatlinburg, TN, and had a blast!

Take advantage of the moments you have with your child, regardless of their age. Make it a fantastic summer!

I’d love to hear some of your ideas for spending time with your teenagers. What are your favorite things to do together?

So glad you stopped by my little corner of the world. You can read my full bio and email me HERE

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